The ARIN Intermediate Unit 28 Early Intervention (EI) Preschool Program provides a variety of programs and services for children from their third birthday until entry into school. Services for children during the preschool years are provided at no cost to their families when the child is determined to meet eligibility requirements. Individual Education Programs (IEPs) are written to define the services that will be provided to those eligible children.

Preschool Services may include:

• Screening and Evaluation
• Support in Early Childhood Environments
• Specialized Instruction
• Speech
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Hearing
• Vision
• Specialized Classrooms
• Transition to School Age Programs

Most districts begin the kindergarten registration process in February! Check out your home district's website for more information!

Armstrong County:

Apollo-Ridge (Click here for a paper form to print and complete)

Armstrong School District:

• Dayton Elementary (March 5th, 2024- Call 814-257-8816 to schedule)
• Elderton Elementary (February 28th, 2024- Call 724-354-2131 to schedule)
• Lenape Elementary (February 20-22, 2024- Call 724-763- 5299 to schedule)
• Shannock Valley Elementary (March 7th, 2024- Call 724-783-6991 to schedule)
• West Hills Primary (February 27-29, 2024- Call 724-548- 7651 to schedule)

Freeport Area School District

Leechburg Area School District

Indiana County:

Homer-Center School District

Indiana Area School District

Marion Center School District

Penns Manor Area School District

Purchase Line School District

River Valley School District

United School District: Please call the elementary office at 814-446-5615 Ext. 1312 for more information and an enrollment packet.

Family Survey FAQ

Ways to celebrate:

1. Listen to this song about Groundhog Day
2. Check out this list of books to read with your children about Groundhog Day!
3. Watch the 2024 video of Punxsutawney Phil here!

8 Benefits of Outdoor Play

Why is playing outside so good for us? Besides getting us off the sofa or away from the desk, it also gives us an opportunity to explore our neighborhoods. While it's impossible to list all the benefits of outdoor play, we do have a few to share.

1. Playing outdoors is a freeing activity. It frees us from routines, enclosed spaces, and frames of mind.
2. The outdoors fills us with energy. Whether it's the fresh air, sunshine, or physical activity, we perk up and become motivated to accomplish things.
3. It clears the cobwebs from our brains. We sometimes get stuck on a topic, project, or issue and are unable to resolve it. A change of scene often brings clarity we didn't have before.
4. Outdoor play provides terrific physical activity for our bodies. Our hearts pump fresh oxygen to our limbs and brains.
5. We experience new sights and sounds. Children get to experience the world around them.
6. As a social activity, playing outside encourages positive interactions.
7. When you play outside every month, it becomes habit-forming - and this is one good habit to have!
8. It stimulates the imagination. Outdoor play almost has no boundaries. Your yard can be a kingdom or the playground can be a mountain to scale.

Outdoor Winter Activity Ideas:

1. Build a snowman
2. Go for an outdoor hike
3. Visit the local playground on warmer days
4. Have a snowball fight
5. Make snow angels
6. Have a bonfire (it's not just for summer!)
7. Go sled riding
8. Go snowboarding and/or skiing
9. Snow snowmobiling
10. Build a snow fort
11. Go ice skating
12. Take a walk and admire the snow, decorations, and winter scenery
13. Go on a winter scavenger hunt
14. Paint the snow! Mix water and food coloring in a squirt bottle!
15. Have a winter picnic

Register for WRAD (World Read Aloud Day) and get VIP access to upcoming materials, including activities, events, programming, and more!

Download a WRAD packet here for helpful information, classroom guides, SWAG, and more!

To find a public library near you, click here!

National Send A Card To A Friend Day on February 7th reminds us to send friendly cheer through the mail. We do that by sending a note or message on a card to the friends we hold dear. Throughout the year, we often think about our friends. We wonder how they are, miss them, and remember fond memories of times shared.

Ways to celebrate:

• Send a note/letter/postcard to a friend or relative:
• Include a memory in your card. “Remember when…”
• List qualities you admire about your friend.
• Thank your friend for something he or she taught you.
• End with a thoughtful question to encourage them to write back.
• Visit the local Post Office and explore the public features. While you're there, get some stamps so your preschooler can mail some letters!
• Talk about the different mail carries in your community (ex. Post Office, UPS, FedEx, etc.) We love any opportunity to talk about community helpers in preschool!!
• Watch this video about how to mail a letter!

Ways to observe:

1. Help your preschool make notes or cards for their friends at school
2. Draw a picture for someone you love!
3. Bake some sweet treats as a family
4. Valentine Scissor Skills (see picture below)
5. Valentine Big or Small (see picture below)
6. Valentine Alphabet Challenge (see picture below)

Join the Remake Learning Days across Pennsylvania! This hands-on learning festival showcases the many places where kids can learn across their community, such as early childhood programs, museums, schools, libraries, parks, community centers, tech companies, and more. These events give families and caregivers a chance to learn alongside their children and for kids to experience new learning opportunities. The mission of Remake Learning Days is to spark joy, encourage curiosity and create wonder for kids of all ages and their families. To find activities in our region, click here!

• With so many people owning a phone, tablet or television, and screens in doctor’s offices, malls and restaurants, it can be difficult—or seem impossible–to limit the exposure to screen time with young children.

  Recent studies have shown screen time use in young children may have negative impacts on the brain’s white matter — an area key to the development of language, literacy and cognitive skills. In addition, the use of screen time can limit a child’s time and attention in learning other skills they need for healthy development.

  Wondering how much screen time is too much for your child? The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommendations for screen time use.

  • For children younger than 18 months, avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting. Parents of children 18 to 24 months of age who want to introduce digital media should choose high-quality programming and watch it with their children to help them understand what they’re seeing.
  • For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen use to one hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should co-view media with children to help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them.
  • For children ages 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media, and make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health.

  Families who want to limit screen time use with their young child may wonder how they can help their child with other activities. Here are a few ways to help your child learn while distancing them from screens.

• Be the example. Children watch what happens around them to learn what they should or shouldn’t do. Be aware of when you reach for your screen. Put down your screen and engage with your child.
• Play and engage with your child. Engaging in play with your child helps them learn language skills, fine and large motor skills and more. These skills lay the foundation for ones they will need later in their interactions with friends, teachers, and eventually employers! You don’t need fancy or expensive toys for your child to play. When I Play, I Learn has ways to use common items—like a box—in your child’s play.
• Help your child join every day activities. Every child can join in with activities, like preparing a meal, folding laundry, grocery shopping and more. Every Day I Learn Through Play (for infants and toddlers) and Learning is Everywhere (for children birth to kindergarten) has tips for ways to use every day activities as a way to help your young child learn.

(Created and shared by Pennsylvania's Promise for Children)

Armstrong County Community Action:

Phone number: 724-548-3408

Facebook Page

Website

Indiana County Community Action:

Phone number: 724-465-2657

Facebook Page

Website

Email: mfaught@iccap.net

Do you know about Power Library, Pennsylvania's electronic library? With Power Kids, you and your child can access things like:

• BookFlix: Watch videos and read books
• CyberSmarts: Learn how to be a safe, responsible and smart citizen with eBooks
• TrueFlix: Learn about people, places, nature, history and science from videos and eBooks
• Chat with a Librarian

In addition, many libraries throughout Pennsylvania offers their members access to downloadable or streaming eBooks and audiobooks through Axis 360 and Hoopla. Enjoy new bestsellers and old favorites on your compatible digital device! Check with your library for additional info.

Looking for a fun, free activity to do with your child(ren)? Check out your local Lowe's for the February 10th workshop! You can either complete the activity at the store, or get it to take home and complete!

Click here to register for the workshop! Change your store to the Lowe's location closest to you!

Check availability in your area!

The Dolly Parton Imagination Library provides books free of charge each month to children from birth to age 5. Wondering what books your child will receive each month in 2024? See below!

Sign up for the FREE monthly Kindergarten, Here I Am eNews!

Each month get activities, tips and resources you can use to help your kindergartner prepare for and have a successful Kindergarten year.

February: We're Learning at the Doctor's Office!

Each month offers activities families can do together in a variety of settings. The activities within the Learning is Everywhere Calendar and on the website are aligned with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards (ELS).

Activities for your preschooler:

Encourage your preschooler to act out the role of someone at the doctor’s office. What person are they going to be? (Receptionist, nurse, x-ray technician, doctor, etc.) Why is the patient visiting the doctor? What does the person they’re acting as do? What would that person say? Take turns playing the doctor and the patient. Stuffed animals and dolls can be pretend patients, too. (Approaches to Learning through Play)

While waiting in the examining room, have your preschooler close their eyes and listen. What do they hear? (Closing of a door, someone walking down the hall, the air conditioning/heating vent, a phone ringing, baby crying, etc.) Talk about what is heard. Where might someone be going? Who might be calling? Why might the baby be crying? Encourage your child to use their imagination-might it be an elephant on the phone, or a tiger creeping down the hall? (Creative Thinking & Expression)

Create a Special Event bag your preschooler can take when visiting places like the doctor’s office. It can be a simple backpack, cloth bag, or even a zip-top plastic bag. Put in items such as pad of paper, crayons, stickers, small toys or cars, View Master, lacing games, playing cards, or other special items to be used when visiting. (Approaches to Learning through Play)

Adapt these activities by using pictures or technology for preschoolers with audio or visual needs. Help develop their communication skills by providing exciting and expressive answers to the questions. You and your child can play ‘match the sound’ while waiting. As you make a sound, encourage your child to guess the animal or items.

Sing up for the FREE monthly Learning is Everywhere eNewsletter!

Parent to Parent matches parents of children with special needs or disabilities with other families who've had similar journeys. A new diagnosis for your child might feel overwhelming, but P2P wants to ensure that you don't feel alone. By being matched to another family, they can provide emotional support, advice, stories of their own experiences, or just a listening ear!

Click here to complete a new match intake form

Want to become a Peer Supporter? Click here!

For more information, call 1-888-727-2706